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It won’t be so long now, but from 2026 every new central heating boiler will have to be equipped with a hybrid heat pump. But how do you really know if your house is suitable for such a pump?
Today, most Dutch houses still have the old central heating system, where your house and the water are heated with natural gas. The government believes that this must stop in the long term. That is why the gasoline tax was increased in 2019. The current energy crisis also makes heating with gas simply expensive.
A new heat pump can therefore reduce costs. You have two options: either you opt immediately for an all-electric pump, or you opt for the hybrid model with a central heating boiler. The hybrid system ensures that you can always use gas if needed.
But most older homes are built to use an old fashioned central heating boiler. How do you know if such a heat pump makes sense? “Most houses are simply suitable for a hybrid heat pump,” says Marlon Mintjes of Milieu Centraal. The organization offers a simple ‘self-scan’ for isolation to the website. “The better your house is insulated, the better the heat pump works, of course. But you don’t need much.”
Some insulation throughout is important
However, you’ll probably have to tape measure around the house if you’re not entirely sure about the insulation, she says. “It’s important that you have some insulation everywhere, around 5-7 centimeters in the cavity walls, floor and roof. You also need double glazing.”
She warns that you should also check if you have enough space. “A hybrid heat pump is about 30 by 30 by 60 centimeters and should fit next to your central heating boiler. You also need space on the roof or on the facade for the outdoor unit.”
The requirements for a fully electric heat pump that no longer needs gas are somewhat higher. “In any case, your home should be reasonably well insulated,” says Mintjes. “In principle, you can say that a house built between 1992 and 1999 is ‘reasonably’ insulated. From 2009, you can be sure that the insulation is good.”
If your home is reasonably warm when the boiler is set to 50 degrees, then your home is well insulated.
This is again about 5-7 centimeters in the cavity walls, but more is needed under the floor and roof. Think about 13 centimeters thick insulation. “In addition, you need to have HR++ glass in your windows,” says Mintjes. “Even if you have a relatively new home, it’s a good idea to check that it is.” In addition, space also plays a role here. “An electric heat pump is a device the size of a refrigerator.”
She specifies that there is a subsidy for all this type of insulation work. “Also on the heat pump, by the way. If you take multiple measurements, that’s about 30% of the final amount.”
Request different quotes
If you want more information before buying a heat pump, you can perform a simple test, says Mintjes. “Set the central heating boiler – not the thermostat – to 50 degrees.”
Are you shivering with cold afterwards, or is it just not nice and warm? Then you first need to invest in better insulation. “If it’s still reasonably warm in the house, your house is insulated well enough and you can make the switch.”
Finally, there’s another tip: “Get multiple quotes from installers.” Through www.centraalregistertechniek.nl and www.verbeterjehuis.nl/vind-een-bedrijf you can find good independent heat pump experts. It certainly makes sense to bring in a number of people before deciding which installer you want to work with. You need to have a little patience. Due to the growing interest in heat pumps, there are waiting lists.
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